Do you hate the showa series for being campy

[Goji]

The only Showa films I truly hate are Hedorah, Gigan, Megalon, Revenge, Son of Godzilla, and Ebirah

Do you truly "hate" them, or is that just for lack of a better term? That word gets thrown around so much in discussions here, and I find it very hard to believe people actually feel that way. I think Godzilla X Megagaguirus is the worst Japanese Godzilla film, but do I "hate" it? No, why would I? Now if a truck full of 35mm prints of GxM went off road and just happened to kill my best friend in the process, then yeah, sure.

I don't dislike the Showa Era (if that makes any sense)

That's a very straightforward statement. Of course it makes sense.

But the constant use of stock footage and the criminaly bad performances of the casts make a few of them unwatchables to me.
Still, the 1954 movie it's my favorite G movie of all time, everything in it it's perfect.

Constant? It literally happens in like three movies, during a time of decline in the industry (the '70's). Budgets were slashed, and they had no choice.

The Heisei and Millennium series have plenty of stock footage too, it was just masked better; usually of people feeling in the streets. But then, you have stuff like shots of Godzilla blowing up boats from Biollante showing up in SpaceGodzilla..five years later. These movies were supposed to have YUGE budgets, right? What was their excuse?

[Terasawa]

the criminaly bad performances of the casts

Really? I think the actors in just about all the Godzilla movies are at the very least adequate. The only harmful performances I can think of belong to the foreign non-actors and Japanese that speak terrible English, and that's almost exclusively a Heisei series trend. And even then, those probably wouldn't even seem as bad as they are to the Japanese audiences who these films were mad for.

[szmigiel]

Such a broad statement, campy is sometimes hard to nail down, what is campy for one person is not campy to another. Some may consider that just being a dubbed foreign film and the lips don't always match, automatically make them campy. While a poor dub can make a movie campier, that is more of an issue with the Heisei films then the Showa. Since many of the golden age Toho movies benefited from actually being dubbed in the west. Some people consider anything with “guys in rubber monster suits and miniature buildings” to be campy, again that can stretch well past the Showa era into both Heisei and Millennium films. There are plenty of people that look at older films as being automatically campy, usually films that were made before they were born.

The Showa era covers over 20 years and 15 Godzilla films, over 30 if you count all of Toho Sci-fi and Daikaiju films. Those that were made during Toho golden age of the sixties, benefit greatly from Toho studio system which allowed for plenty of access to good actors. Also Eiji Tsuburaya was one of the greatest special effects masters of his age, who pioneered many techniques still in use, and trained many to continue on his work.

During the Champion Festival films, starting with All Monsters Attack, aka Godzilla Revenge, through Terror of Mechagodzilla. You can say the camp factor increased with the lower budgets, more use of stock footage, the loose of Eiji Tsuburaya, plus the lost of quality dubbing by the likes of Peter Fernandez. To me it is the camp factor that gives these movie a certain charm.

[New Kirk Citizen]

While I do prefer the more serious movies over the comedic/campy, I can appreciate the latter as well. It largely depends on what mood I'm in as to what I want to watch on any particular day. Also, if I'm trying to get someone interested in Godzilla, I probably wouldn't show them Godzilla vs Megalon.

[ZeppandonConfirmed]

I don't mind the Showa films being "campy". I love them because of it And if anyone doesn't care for the Showa era, that's fine. It's all an opinion and I respect those opinions.

What I don't like, however, is when people call the films (the 70's ones and Revenge) "The dark age of Godzilla films". There was never a "dark age" in Godzilla films. Even then, what makes Godzilla vs Megalon more campy than Son of Godzilla? Or what makes Godzilla Final Wars any better than any of those films since it's just as "campy" as the Showa films in my opinion? You can dislike those films, that's fine. It's an opinion, and I respect that, but they're far from the "dark age of Godzilla films".

[BooLugosi]

I like them. Half of them are not the best quality-wise but at least they are entertaining. More entertaining than the bad movies in the other eras.

[Maritonic]

Definitely enjoy the Showa series. Some clunkers, but some solid gold as well. It's camp is part of it's charm.

[Gojira18]

The only Showa films I truly hate are Hedorah, Gigan, Megalon, Revenge, Son of Godzilla, and Ebirah

Do you truly "hate" them, or is that just for lack of a better term? That word gets thrown around so much in discussions here, and I find it very hard to believe people actually feel that way. I think Godzilla X Megagaguirus is the worst Japanese Godzilla film, but do I "hate" it? No, why would I? Now if a truck full of 35mm prints of GxM went off road and just happened to kill my best friend in the process, then yeah, sure.

Like, they're objectively bad. They just aren't what I think when I think of Godzilla.

[Kaijunator]

While I do prefer the more serious movies over the comedic/campy, I can appreciate the latter as well. It largely depends on what mood I'm in as to what I want to watch on any particular day. Also, if I'm trying to get someone interested in Godzilla, I probably wouldn't show them Godzilla vs Megalon.

This. I agree with all of this.

[Mr_Goji_and_Watch]

Like, they're objectively bad. They just aren't what I think when I think of Godzilla.

There's nothing """"""objectively"""""" bad about Son of Godzilla, Hedorah, or Ebirah. They hold up much better than some other Godzilla movies like KIng Kong vs Godzilla or Godzilla Tokyo SOS. They're not perfect but an ugly Minya suit or Godzilla acting differently than usual doesn't make a movie """"""objectively"""""" bad.

[Gojira18]

Like, they're objectively bad. They just aren't what I think when I think of Godzilla.

There's nothing """"""objectively"""""" bad about Son of Godzilla, Hedorah, or Ebirah. They hold up much better than some other Godzilla movies like KIng Kong vs Godzilla or Godzilla Tokyo SOS. They're not perfect but an ugly Minya suit or Godzilla acting differently than usual doesn't make a movie """"""objectively"""""" bad.

It's not just that. Just almost everything about them, aside from some good moments here and there, rub me the wrong way. It's MY opinion. If you disagree, so be it.

[Mr_Goji_and_Watch]

It's MY opinion. If you disagree, so be it.

I never implied it wasn't your openyen, but you really shouldn't frame it with objectivity or even bring it up.

[mikelcho]

Personally, I always thought that the Japanese had great imaginations when it came to creating monsters. I really love Godzilla, Gamera, Ultraman,etc. Most of the movies and TV shows are great and even the clunkers have some degree of quality, if not watchability. I've always said "Give me a Japanese monster movie, whether good, bad or indifferent, and I'm the happiest man alive".

[Billzilla1974]

Nope, in fact I hate the Heisei series for it's boringness which is thinly disguised as being more serious, apparently being silly yet entertaining means that the showa era has to be blacklisted and never be mentioned again. One thing I don't get is how so many people are irked by Godzilla dancing briefly in monster zero, its not like that automatically ruined the movie. It seems people like to boast the heisei era as what Godzilla is supposed to be, serious, dark, but boring. There's a reason Terror of Mechagodzilla isn't always as regarded as highly as it's predecessor, it tries to be "darker" but it comes off as less entertaining as GvsMG. I regard the Showa era, even the 70s films, as far more fun & re-watchable films than any of the Heisei films. I hope for the day the Showa era Ghidorah finally supersedes the overused Heisei Ghidorah in merchandise & media, I am sick of seeing its floppy horns and hearing Rodan's stolen roar.

[edgaguirus]

Being campy just adds to the enjoyment. Are there silly and cringworthy moments? Yes, but how can honestly say that seeing Godzilla fly, dance, etc. didn't bring a laugh or smile?

[BlueGojira]

Does anyone here hate the showa series for being campy which made people think godzilla is noting but crap campy monster movies personally i love the showa series but what's your opinion.

Well, you're banned and I'm not even sure if this thread is still active... but I'm going to answer anyway.


The Showa Godzilla series is what I like to call unique, and it is a series that is good fun for all out monster battles. If I had control of classifying all the movies, I would put the original 1954 film in its own special era, and leave all the other movies for the Showa era. I feel like the original Godzilla is far too serious to be in a film series like this. This is not a complaint. I actually love the original Showa era, and feel like it needs more love from some. For the most part, the human characters are decent and the creative process is off the chart. It has some of my favorite movies from it, and favorite kaiju. While I like the Heisei series better, the Showa series will always be second to me.

[Darth Kiryu]

I don't necessarily hate the campier films, but I do have a harder time remembering some of them. But that's probably more due to how the plot moves than anything else. Godzilla vs. Megalon is campy as hell and I still enjoy it. Not a fan of the "Hero Godzilla theme;" it sounds like it was composed by someone inebriated at the time. The only campy Showa movie I hate is Godzilla's Revenge, and even then it's because what, 90% of the movie is stock footage? The Minya suit was pretty awful too. Also Minya talking. And I hate Minya.

[GoodOlGoji]

I feel like you're being way too serious if you deride Showa for cheesiness and camp.

Just about every movie after the original has been giant monster spectacle.

[MechaGoji Bro7503]

I honestly think "camply" can be used for good- I liked the Showa era for it. To me sometimes enough campyness and cheesyness can make a film just pure fun and awesomeness.

[BlueGojira]

I honestly think "camply" can be used for good- I liked the Showa era for it. To me sometimes enough campyness and cheesyness can make a film just pure fun and awesomeness.

Same with me! The Showa era is often sterotyped as being a really bad series of films, which I disagree with. The films were too much fun to get mad at, and for the most part had pretty great plots.